side by side
by gir29
Summary: Chrono seeme to be having some trouble sleeping, he is being haunted by nightmares, but what happens when he fears his dreams might come true.
1. Chapter 1

O.K. this is my first fanfict. so be easy. I do not own Chrono Crusade, the original author does.

**Side By Side ch. 1**

Rosette was struggling, trying to break free from the demon's grasp around her neck. He was so strong and she couldn't move. Tears were streaming down her face and her hands were shaking with fear.He had never seen her this scared before. He was always there with her, protecting her, comforting her. He had always given her strength, but now….

"Chrono!!! Stop, please!!"

Her body and face were bloody and bruised from his grip and where his talons had pierced her. She had always trusted him and now… he was killing her. He was killing the only person who had truly excepted him. The only person he felt safe with. The only person he loved.

"Chrono!"

"Chrono! Wake up!"

"Huh, Rosette?"

"Wake up already, geez, are you alright? You were screaming in your sleep again."

Chrono looked up trying to remember what was going on. He was completely soaked with sweat and was just regaining his color.

I fell asleep reading. It was only a nightmare, thank god.

"Chrono, come on stop spacing out on me. Azmaria's waiting for us."

Azmaria searched the tables looking to see if her friends were already eating breakfast. Finally her eyes spotted the small demon who had his face buried in his arms.

"Hi Chrono. Where's Rosette?"

"Mmfnmnnm."

"What?"

Chrono picked his head up and looked at her.

"She should be here in a minute."

Azmaria studied Chrono's features for a minute and her smile faded into a worried frown. Chrono was usually a good morning person when he wasn't getting pounded on by Rosette's short morning outbursts, but even after that he was still cheerful. But now he was just unusually quiet. He had almost a dazed look in his eyes accompanied by dark circles.

"Chrono…are you alright? You don't look so good."

"I'm okay, I'm just tired."

-"He's been having nightmares."

Rosette took a seat next to Chrono and gave him a serious death glare.

"You scared the life out of me! I heard you screaming and I grabbed my gun and got ready to take cover. I thought we were being attacked!!"

"I'm sorry."

Chrono offered her a small apologetic smile and covered his head with his hands to shield himself from her in case she was planning on wailing on him.

Rosette's glare slowly faded away and she returned her attention to her pancakes.

"What were you dreaming about anyway?"

Chrono shuddered slightly, remembering his nightmare and how Rosette had looked at him with sheer terror. He remembered the wounds on her arms and her face from where he had hit her and the fact that she had wanted nothing more than to get as far away from him as possible. He only wanted to protect her, not hurt her but in the dream he couldn't stop himself. He knew what he was doing and it hurt him more than he could've ever imagined to see her that way or to even try to think of what she had seen him as. A monster, a traitor, a demon. He didn't want to but it was as if he had completely lost control. Like he was under the control of someone else.

"I can't remember."

He lied. How could he tell his contractor? What would she say? How would she react? He would never be able to forgive himself if he hurt her.

"Come on Chrono. Sister Kate wants to see us."


	2. Chapter 2

Side by side chapter 2

It's only the second chapter of my first story so all you critics out there, take it easy please. I may be new at this but vengeance is my specialty. I do not own chrono crusade or any of the characters now matter how much I would like to. Enjoy and don't forget to review.

Chrono stared silently out the car window. He was still thinking about his dream, or nightmare was more like it. Every time he closed his eyes he could her face, horrified and tear stained. It was driving him crazy and he was so absorbed in his thoughts he wasn't even paying attention to the angry blonde who, unfortunately, was in the driver's seat of the car.

What even made her position in the vehicle worse was that she noticed she was being ignored.

"Chrono!"

"Huh!?"

"Where you listening to me?"

"….Ugh..yes?"

"Oh really? What did I just say?"

"Um….."

_Bonk!_

"OUCH!!!"

"What is it with you ? Why are you acting all weird all of a sudden!?"

Chrono was too busy cowering on the other side of the car to avoid Rosette's wrath (if at all humanly possible) but stopped as she gave him an accusing look that caused his stomach to drop.

"Um…..Rosette?"

"Chrono…"

"Yes?"

"Are you going through puberty again?"

"ROSETTE!!!"

"What!? I just want to know why your acting so weird and you won't tell me what's wrong. Besides you spend so much time in that form anyway it wouldn't really surprise me."

Chrono looked away for a moment trying to think of what he could say to ease her worry but he really didn't know what to say. He couldn't tell her the truth and he couldn't stand lying to her.

"I'm sorry Rosette."

"For what?"

"I….I just don't know…what to say."

(_long pause)………._

"You don't have to know what to say if it's something you can't tell me; just know I'm here if you need me, K?"

"Rosette?-"

"We're here."

They had pulled up to an old abandoned country house. It had two floors, a few broken windows, and an old tool shed but nothing really out of the ordinary. It looked like it hadn't been inhabited for years but as they pulled up they could see a man standing on the porch.

"Hello there, I'm Charles. I spoke with sister kate on the phone. Am I to assume that you two are here on behalf of The Order of Magdelene ?"

The man was looking at them curiously as he spoke no doubt trying to figure out why two children were standing in front of him instead of someone a little…older.

"Yessir! I'm Rosette and this is my partner chrono."

She replied as she handed him their authorization. As the man continued to look it over Chrono thought he recognized him. He wasn't much, a skinny man in his late forties maybe, not very tall and definitely not very hygienic but it was his eyes that caught Chrono off guard. When thay had walked up he could have sworn that the man had green eyes but as Rosette introduced him as her partner he thought the man's eyes had been a deep violate when he looked up.

"I'm terribly sorry I just didn't expect you to be so….-"

"Young? Yeah we get that a lot. Now what's the problem exactly?"

"Come right this way.."

He replied as he gave Chrono a menacing look that he was sure Rosette couldn't see.

"….and I'll explain everything to you in further detail."


	3. Chapter 3

**If your on chapter 3 then that must mean that you're at least interested in my story. THANK YOU!!!! I'd really like to thank nimblnymph for your constructive criticism and your advice. It really helps so don't hold back on anything OK. I do not own Chrno Crusade (darn it)**

"_Come right this way…"-_

_He replied as he gave Chrono a menacing look that he was sure Rosette couldn't see._

"…_and I'll explain everything to you in further detail."_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Chrono and Rosette followed Charles through the tall grass that led to the front of the house. When they came to the door Charles had to give it a violent shove in order for the rusted hinges to allow any movement. One by one they piled onto the house and took in its appearance. Dust and cobwebs covered the floor and the sheets that hung over the only pieces of furniture which were a small table and a sofa someone had left behind. There was a fireplace across from the front door that still held a few logs that looked to have been only slightly burned and a hallway a few feet from the living room which is were the two exorcists and Charles now stood.

"I have had quite a few tenants over the years, a great deal of them barely older than you, and they all seem to leave in a hurry. They never stay very long either. Some of them told me that they just didn't feel comfortable in the house but others actually told me some nonsense about hearing and seeing things they couldn't explain."

Charles told them this as he showed them through the first floor of the house. It was in just as poor condition as the rest of the house that they had seen so far; nothing but dust, cobwebs, and broken windows.

"Well sometimes these occurrences do happen sir, isn't that why you called the order?"

Chrono replied as they began to head up the stairs which squeaked loudly in protest of the weight they were being placed under.

Chrono froze and tensed instantly, and Rosette noticed. Charles was glaring daggers through Chrono with the same violate eyes Chrono had thought he had seen before when they were outside. Not only did it make shivers go down his spine but in that brief moment Chrono knew he had seen this man before but couldn't place where or when they had met.

"I know very well that these things happen, and YES that is why I called the order. Now if you don't mind, you rudely interrupted me you insolent boy and now I have lost my train of thought!"

Rosette and Chrono could only stare with shocked expressions at Charles due to his sudden outburst.

" Chrono, I think we should just get this over with and stay quiet until he leaves so we can have a better look at this place. There is definitely something wrong with this guy. He has got to be bi-polar or something. The only time I've ever seen anyone change their mood that quickly was when Sister Kate found out that I was the one that put laxative in her coffee before mass. Besides, I don't know what it is but he doesn't seem to like you very much."

Rosette spoke to Chrono quietly so only that only he could hear. If Charles had heard this, there was no telling what he might do.

"Tell me something I don't know." If Chrono had seen this man before, it was clear that he had done something to anger him.

There wasn't much to see up stairs except for old bedrooms and a writing spider in one of the closets that almost sent Rosette running back to the safety of the car if Chrono hadn't been there to block the doorway (which, of course, he was nearly beaten to death for).

Afterwards, they spent a little more time checking the rest of the second floor then they began to head back downstairs.

"The main place most of these _incidents_ occur is in the basement which is at the end of the hallway there."

As Charles spoke he pointed at a door at the very end of the hallway that was barely visible under the staircase they had just come down." The basement is locked though. My last tenant left in such a hurry that he forgot to give me the key back."

"Well, I guess we'll just have to pick the lock then." Rosette said as she walked out the front door.

_Great, so you're just going to leave me here with HIM?! _Chrono groaned internally as he turned to face Charles. Charles was still glaring at Chrono, but surprisingly, as they made eye contact Charles' face became calm and composed.

"Maybe if we try to open it with a little force, as with the front door, it just may open. Do you mind?" Charles asked as he motioned to the cellar door.

"Um…sure" Chrono cautiously stepped around Charles to the cellar door. He grabbed the door knob with one hand, braced the other hand on the door to apply pressure, and…

…_One, two, THREE! _"WHOA!" The door flung open with such ease that Chrono lost his footing and almost fell down a set of stairs.

"That was close. I had better go tell Rosette that we don't have to pick the lock after all."

As Chrono turned he was grabbed by the collar of his shirt and pulled close to face a very angry looking demon with bright lavender eyes.

"METUS!!" Chrono stared wide-eyed at one of the most frightening demons he had ever known in pandemonium.

"Chrono, it's been a while. I'm not surprised you remember me, although I definitely remember you. I remember the last time we fought Chrono, and I rememberthe pain you caused me when you ripped me of my rank. Too bad you didn't kill me when you had the chance. Now I'm going to make you wish you had and…-" Metus leaned next to Chrono's ear and gripped his hand around his throat. –"I'm going to make your worst nightmares come true. Compliments from Aion."

**I'm soooo sorry I haven't updated in a while but it is summer now so I have free time. Sorry guys but my school has to come fist. Thank you songopuppy AKA NAYNAY for your review and everybody please make sure to update and tell me what you think so far OK. (p.s.-this is my first story so be gentle. .)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay, sorry guys. I was in a hurry to put up my last chapter and only afterwards did I notice the mistakes I made. Sorry about that. I'll try to do better because that just annoys me. Any here's a new chapter so tell me what you think!!**

_Darkness. That's all Chrono could see, and despite the cold that filled the air a chill ran down his spine as he listened to the eerie silence that surrounded him. It took a few minutes but his eyes finally began to adjust to the dark. He was in his true form. _

_What happened?_

"_Rosette?" ... No answer. "Rosette?!" Again, no answer._

_Where is she and what's going on? Where am I?_

_Chrono stood and walked into what looked like a basement. Once there, his breath suddenly caught in his chest at the site of what was on the floor._

"_ROSETTE!!!"_

_She was lying on the floor, motionless and surrounded by blood. Chrono rushed to her and pulled her into his lap. She wasn't breathing._

_-"How could YOU!? She trusted YOU!!!"_

_Chrono looked up and saw Father Remington standing in the doorway looking at Rosette's lifeless body; Sorrow written across his features. He finally tore his gaze away from the dead exorcist and rested his eyes on the demon before him. His face now showed nothing but hatred and disgust._

"_Father Remington, what are you talking about?" Chrono asked his once trusted friend. Something in the pit of his stomach told him that they wouldn't be very close any more after this._

"_You know what I mean, don't play innocent with me. You're nothing even close to innocent. YOU did this! YOU KILLED HER!!!!" _

"…_n..No. NO!!! I would.. Never do this, I WOULD NEVER HURT HER!!! Rosette, say something please." He shook her gently afraid that he would break her if he wasn't careful, but she didn't answer. "Rosette? Rosette? …"_

"_ROSETTE!!!"_

-"CHRONO! Chrono, it's okay. I'm right here."

Rosette shook Chrono gently by the shoulders, trying to wake him from yet another nightmare.

"Rosette?" Chrono was instantly relieved to see his contractor. The nightmare he had just endured sent shivers down his spine and the hairs on the back of his neck were _still _standing. The dream had felt so real, just like the one before,… but at least now Rosette wasn't hurt. She was just looking at Chrono with a worried expression. She was here with him and she was okay.

Chrono quickly threw his arms around her neck and held her tightly as if she would disappear the instant he let her go. He sat there trembling in his companions embrace until she finally pulled away and laid him back down. Chrono glanced around and noticed that they were back in the living room. The dusty covers that had been lying on the furniture were gone and Chrono was lying on the sofa a few feet from the now roaring fire across the room.

"How's your head?" Rosettes face was worried before but now her tone suggested her deep concern as well. Chrono reached one hand up and inspected his throbbing skull. _ Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to sit up so fast._ He winced as he touched his fingers to the bandages that had been wrapped around the wound he received.

"It's okay, I think. What happened?" Chrono asked as he fingered his injury a little more.

"I came back inside and found the basement door open. When I didn't see you or Charles any where I figured that you just went in but when I reached the doorway I saw you unconscious at the foot of the stairs. I couldn't find Charles any where either. I'm so, so sorry Chrono. I never should have left you alone with him. I'm really-"

"It's okay Rosette. It wasn't your fault. I knew I had seen him before but I never thought Metus would join sides with Aion. He wasn't-" Rosette held up her hand and stopped Chrono before he could finish his sentence.

"Wait, so this guy is a demon, and he's working with aion?" As Rosette spoke her eyes and her tone revealed a great amount of guilt. It reminded Chrono of a four year old getting scolded for doing something they weren't supposed to do, and he immediately felt his heart sink in his chest. Knowing Rosette, she would blame herself for him getting hurt. Rosette was always a very strong willed person but when it came to her friend's safety, she felt it was her responsibility to keep them safe, even if it was a two-hundred year old demon.

"It's okay Rosette really, I'm fine. There was no way for you to know, please don't feel bad. I'm okay."

"What if you were really hurt Chrono, then it wouldn't be okay! It's not okay now, what if something bad happened!? I don't want you to get hurt." Rosette said the last part sheepishly as if she were confessing a crime. And to make things worse, the hurt in her own voice only intensified.

The two exorcists gathered there things and spent the trip back to the Order in silence. Occasionally Chrono would glance up at Rosette who was driving alarmingly well instead of swerving in and out of traffic at suicidal speeds. Not once did she ever meet Chrono's gaze. This only made the little demon beside her extremely worried. She was being too hard on herself. Chrono would have to take her mind off of it…_but how?_

**Okay another chapter! What will Chrono do to make Rosette feel better? If you have any ideas I'm all ears. Thanks to all of you who have reviewed so far and make sure to do it again okay. I can always use feed back!!!!**


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